Track-clearer for mowers



I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. M. PATTERSON & E. A. HIMEBAUGH.

TRAGK GLEARER FOR MOWBRS.

No. 335,769. Patentedfeb. 9, 1886".

2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. M. PATTERSON & E. A. HIMEBAUGH.

TRACK GLEARER FOR MOWERS.

No. 335,769. Patented Feb. 9, 1886.

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llnirnn STATES Parent rricn.

JAMES M. PATTERSON AND ELI A. HIMEBAUOH, OF TIPTON, CALIFORNIA.

TRACK-CLEARER FOR MOWERS.

EPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,769, dated February9, 1886.

Application filed August 7, 1885.

T 0 all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JAMES M. PATTERSON and ELI A. HTMEBAUCH, of Tipton,Tulare county, State of California, have invented an Improvement inMowing-Machines; and we hereby declare the following to he a full,clear, and exact description of the same.

Our invention relates to certain improvements in mowing-machines; and itconsists, particularly, in the employment of vertical reciprocatingsickles or cutters operating at the end of the horizontal finger-bar andin line with the track-clearer, of a novel construction of thesevertical cutters, a means by which they are actuated, and in certaindetails of construction, all of which will be more fully explained byreference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of our apparatus. Fig. 2 is a section showing themechanism for operating the vertical sickle. Fig. 3 is a verticalsection across the edges of the cutter. Fig. 4 is a view of thediagonallyslotted block which drives the vertical cutters. Fig. 5 is asectional view showing the outer shoe, the manner of securing thevertical standard, and the lower ends of the sickles G G. r

A is a horizontal finger-bar, which may be of the usual or any suitableform, having the fingers or guards B and the horizontally-reciprocatingsickle C; and D is a shoe at the outer end of the finger-bar, by whichthe grass is divided, so as to separate that which is to be cut fromthat which is to be left standing. Upon the outer end of this cutter-bara vertical standard, E, is fixed, extending upwardly,as shown. Thisstandard may be fixed to the finger-bar of any mowing-machine by simplymaking a hole or slot through the end of the bar, and the verticalstandard has an extension or shank, which passes down through this hole,and is secured by nut F upon the lower end and between the fingerbar andthe lower curved part of the shoe. The shoulder formed between thisshank and the square lower end of the vertical standard gives itrigidity and solid support without other bracing, and renders it easy toapply ourimprovement to any mowingmachine.

Along the front of the standard E two Serial No. 173,876. (No model.)

sickels, G- G, are fitted to work between suitable guides,'so that theblades or cutters may pass each other as they reciprocate in oppositedirections. No guards or fingers are employed with these sickles, asexperience has shown that theybecome entangled in the grass and preventits being properly cut by the sickles.

In order to make them cut properly where the blades pass each other, andnot carry the grass between the blades without cutting, the lower edgesof each of the cutters are beveled, so as to make a sharp edge, but theupper edges are made perfectly square and straight, as shown in thesection, Fig. 3, so that the beveled edges of each set of knives orcutters pass in contact with the straight edges of those of the othercutter which is reciprocating in the opposite direction. This produces aclean cut of anything that comes between the cutters, and prevents theiroverriding and becoming clogged. Each of these vertical cutter-bars hasa pitman, H, which is bolted to the central portion of the bar, andextends backward from it into a recess in the vertical standard E, andis bent at right angles, so as to extend downward through a channel madein the center of one side of this vertical bar, which channel serves asa guide, within which the pitman reciprocates. The pitman is kept inplace and covered bya plate or leaf, ll, so that its lower end may swingdownward to cover the pitman, or may easily swing back when it isdesired to obtain access to the pitrnan. The lower ends of the twopitmen extend downward into the channel or slot J, which is madevertically through a block, K, that slides horizontally in a slot madethrough the bottom of the standard E, the lower edge of the blocktraveling up on and in contact with the top of the finger-bar A. Thetwosides of this block have inclined or diagonal slots E made in them,the two slots inclining in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 4..Each of the pitmen H has a stout pin, M, projecting from it, one pinprojecting into the diagonal slot upon one side of the block, and theother projecting into the oppositelydnclined slot upon the other side;and they may be provided with anti-friction-rollers, which travel inthese slots. When the block K is caused to reciprocate horizontallythrough its guide at the bottom of the "standard, the action of theseinclined slots is to cause the pitmen H and the vertical sickles orcutters to which they are attached to reciprocate in oppositedirections. In order to operate this horizontal sliding block, the innerend of it is connected by abent or angular bar,N,with the horizontallymovingsickle. When this sickleiscaused to reciprocate by the usualconnections with the mowing-machine, it will cause the block K to movealso, and through the diagonal slots and pitmen the vertical cutters arecaused to reciprocate,as before described. The angularly-placedconnecting-bar Nhas the additional benefit of acting as a sort of braceto prevent the horizontally-moving sickle from being forced back againstthe front ofthe finger-bar so as to make too much friction, as thetendency of this bar in connection with the sliding block is to forcethe horizontal sickle for ward at the same time when it is pushed towardthe outer end of its stroke.

\Ve are aware that vertically-operating cuttershave been employed upon amowing-machine, and we do not claim these, broadly; but

What we do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a mowing-machine, aliorizontal finger-bar with reciprocatingsickle,and-a vertical standard secured at its outer end and having twosickles or cutters guided to move vertically upon its front edge, incombination with pitmen secured centrally to said cutters extendingdownward through guides in the standard, and the horizontal sliding-block having oppositely-inclined diagonal grooves upon its oppositesides, into which pins from the lower ends of the pitnien project,substantial- .4o ly as herein described.

tical slot made through it to receive and guide the two pitinen by whichthe vertical sickles are driven, said block having diagonal slots madeupon each side of the Vertical channel and inclined in oppositedirections, substan tially asherein described.

4. The horizontal finger-bar and reciprocat ing sickle of amowing-machine, and the vertical standard having sickles or cuttersguided to reciprocate in opposite directions upon its forward edge, withchannels made in its opposite sides to receive and guide the pitmen bywhich the sickles are reciprocated, in combination with swinging platesor covers by which these channels are inclosed and protected,substantially as herein described.

5. The vertical reciprocating cutters moving in close PIOXIXllliJYWlDheach other, the blades of said cutters having one edge beveled andsharpened, and the edge which passes and opposes the beveled edge of theopposite cutter made straight, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

JAMES M. PATTERSON. ELI A. HIMEBAUCH.

\Vitnesses:

- GEO. H. STRONG,

S. H. NoURsE.

